“Preparations having been made for a second forge upon the beacon, the smiths commenced their operations both upon the higher and lower platforms, where forges had been erected. They were employed in sharpening the picks and irons for the masons, and in making bats, movable cranes, and other apparatus of various descriptions connected with the railways. The landing-master’s crew were occupied in assisting the mill-wrights in laying the railways to land. Sailors, of all descriptions of men, are the most accommodating in the use of their hands. They worked freely with the boring irons, and assisted in all the operations of the railways, acting by turns as boatmen, seamen, and artificers. We had no such character on the Bell Rock as the common labourer. All the operations of this department were cheerfully undertaken by the seamen, who, both on the rock and on shipboard, were the inseparable companions of every work connected with the erection of the Bell Rock Lighthouse. It will naturally be supposed, that about twenty-five masons, occupied with their picks in executing and preparing the foundation of the lighthouse, in the course of a tide of about three hours, would make a considerable impression upon an area even of forty-two feet in diameter. But in proportion as the foundation was deepened, the rock was found to be much more hard and difficult to work, while the baling and pumping of water became much more troublesome. A joiner was kept almost constantly employed in fitting the picks to their handles, which, as well as the points of the irons, were very frequently broken. At eight o’clock the water overflowed the site of the building, and the boats left the rock with all hands for breakfast.”
The appearance of the rock at this time was very curious, and with its effects of light and shade would have pleased the eye of a Rembrandt. Its surface was thronged with men; the two forges flamed, one above the other, like Cyclopean furnaces; while the anvils thundered with the rebounding clash of their wooden supports, in strange contrast with the noisy clamour of the ocean-surge. During the night, if the men were at work, the spectacle presented to a passing vessel was of the most picturesque character. To the artificers themselves, the effect of extinguishing the torches was sometimes startling, and made terrible the darkness of the night; while the sea, lit up with a phosphoric glow, rolled in upon the rock like waves of fire.
As the enterprise proceeded, the smiths were sometimes left on the beacon throughout the day, and the din of their anvils formed, in foggy weather, an excellent guide for the boats. This circumstance confirmed Mr. Stevenson’s opinion as to the propriety of erecting in the lighthouse large bells to be rung by machinery, and tolled day and night during the continuance of hazy weather, so as to prevent the mariner from drawing too near the dangerous rock.
So much progress had been made in the preliminary operations by the 10th of July, that on that day it was determined to lay the foundation-stone. The ceremony attending it was very simple. Mr. Stevenson, attended by his three assistants, applied the square, the level, and the mallet in due form, and pronounced the following benediction:—“May the Great Architect of the Universe complete and bless this building!” Three earnest cheers were then given, and success to the future operations was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm.
The first course of masonry was now laid down. It was only one foot in thickness, yet it contained 508 cubic feet of granite in outward casing; 8076 cubic feet of Mylnefield stone in the hearting; 104 tons of solid contents; 132 superficial feet of hewing in the face-work; 4519 superficial feet of hewing in the beds, joints, and joggles; 420 lineal feet boring of trenail holes; 378 feet lineal cutting for wedges; 246 oaken trenails; 378 oak wedges in pairs.
By the end of the season the lighthouse was raised to a level with the highest part of the margin of the foundation-pit, or about 5½ feet above the lower bed of the foundation-stone. Work was discontinued on the 21st of September.
Months rolled away, and the third season in due time came round. The artificers resumed their building operations, in 1809, on Saturday, the 27th of May; and in spite of various accidents and delays, and considerable obstruction from the inclemency of the weather, had so far progressed by the end of June as to be able to continue their labours on the masonry while the rock was under water. On the 8th of July, it was remarked, with no small demonstrations of joy, that the tide (a neap one) ceased for the first time to overflow the building at high-water. Flags were accordingly hoisted at every vantage-point, as well as on board the yacht, the tender, the stone-praams, and the floating light; a salute of three guns was fired; and, we need hardly say, the loudest and heartiest cheers pealed through the air and mingled with the music of the waves.
It is unnecessary to follow, step by step, the operations of Stevenson and his “undaunted band.” Such details would possess no interest for the general reader; but he will understand how great must have been the skill and perseverance of the engineer, how arduous the industry of all engaged, when we record that by the 25th of August the solid part of the building had been raised to the height of 31½ feet above the rock, and of 17 feet above high-water of spring tides.